Talusan, Eugene Paul E.

The Philippines Considered to be the

hottest of hotspots on biodiversity One of the top 17 biologically wealthiest countries in the world Archipelago of 7,100 islands Rugged terrain, volcanos and islands Rich in species diversity Many endemic species

 Based

on faunal assemblage and shallow land connections

1. Greater Luzon 2. Greater Mindoro 3. Greater Palawan 4. Greater Mindanao 5. Greater NegrosPanay 6. Greater Sulu

 One

of the major orders of mammals in the Philippines Three families in the Philippines
Muridae (murids) Hystricidae (porcupines) Sciuridae (squirrels)
Sciuridae

is least

studied

 Squirrels

and allies Bushy tails Large eyes Shiny coats Herbivorous Generally arboreal

 13 species 9 tree squirrels under

the genus Sundasciurus 3 flying squirrels 1 pygmy squirrel Found only in Palawan and Mindanao faunal regions Bising in Palawan Kaokag in Mindanao

 The

objectives of this study are to: 1. gather secondary information on Philippine squirrels and management plans of squirrels in other countries; and 2. to propose a management plan based on the information gathered.

 Kingdom:

Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Rodentia Family: Sciuridae Genus: Exilisciurus Species: E. concinnus

Dense and soft fur that is dark brown with a reddish tint

Heavily furred and slightly bushy tail

Mindanao faunal region including Mindanao, Basilan, Biliran, Bohol, Dinagat, Leyte, Samar, and Siargao Islands Lowland and montane primary and secondary forests from sea level to 2000m Small clearings in middle elevations Least concern

 Kingdom:

Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Rodentia Family: Sciuridae Genus: Hylopetes Species: H. nigripes

Thick and woolly greyish brown fur

Long and thickly clothed tail

 Palawan

faunal region including Bancalan and Palawan islands Primary and secondary lowland forests Nest in cavities in large trees Widespread, moderately common Near threatened

 Kingdom:

Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Rodentia Family: Sciuridae Genus: Petinomys Species: P. crinitus

Chestnut upperparts finely mixed with black

Very small ears with three long tufts of hair

 Mindanao

faunal region including Basilan island Primary lowland forests at middle elevation Moderately common Least concern

 Kingdom:

Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Rodentia Family: Sciuridae Genus: Petinomys Species: P. mindanensis

 Externally

resembles P. crinitus but much larger and darker Very small ears that are brownish at the tips prominent roughly crescent-shaped blackish collar extending from behind the ears to the back of the neck

 Mindanao

faunal region including Dinagat, Siargao, and Mindanao Islands Primary lowland to montane forests at middle elevations Least concern

 Kingdom:

Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Rodentia Family: Sciuridae Genus: Sundasciurus Species: S. davensis

 Buffy

cheeks Apricot buff underparts broad line from the nose between the eyes and ears that is Hays russet in color
clearer in the face to between the eyes and a little

darker in the face

 Madaum,

Tagum Municipality, Davao province Primary and lowland secondary forests Data deficient

 Kingdom:

Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Rodentia Family: Sciuridae Genus: Sundasciurus Species: S. hoogstraali

 black

hairs with white tips on the posterior two-thirds of its tail clay color and tawny olive sides grayish face dark brown hands and feet lighter underparts with many long graywhite hairs

 Palawan

faunal region including the island of Busuanga Primary and secondary lowland forests Locally common Least concern

 Kingdom:

Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Rodentia Family: Sciuridae Genus: Sundasciurus Species: S. juvencus

Greyish sides

Blacktipped tail

 Palawan

faunal

region Primary and secondary lowland forests Locally common, stable

 Kingdom:

Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Rodentia Family: Sciuridae Genus: Sundasciurus Species: S. mindanensis

short and rather stiff fur

blackish upper parts variegated or grizzled with light yellowish brown

Grayish white underparts

 Mindanao

faunal

region

 Kingdom:

Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Rodentia Family: Sciuridae Genus: Sundasciurus Species: S. moellendorffi

 white

hair mixed on the sides of its body as well as on its shoulder regions a white area on its belly extending to the underside of the base of its tail

 Palawan

faunal

region Primary and secondary lowland forests and coconut groves Locally abundant

 Kingdom:

Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Rodentia Family: Sciuridae Genus: Sundasciurus Species: S. philippinensis

Not very bushy tail

Upperparts with a deep brown hue

Grayish forelegs

 Mindanao

faunal region Primary and secondary lowland and montane forests from near sea level to at least 2100 m Most abundant near agricultural areas Locally common in forested regions

 Kingdom:

Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Rodentia Family: Sciuridae Genus: Sundasciurus Species: S. rabori

agouti tail fur hairs with three alternating bands of ochraceous orange and black tipped with pale yellow orange

Dense and soft fur

 Palawan

faunal region Mountains in Palawan from 110 m to 1300 m Moderately common but geographically restricted Probably confined to upper elevation forests

 Kingdom:

Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Rodentia Family: Sciuridae Genus: Sundasciurus Species: S. samarensis

has the same general color above and below as S. mindanensis but differs by being larger in size and having the upper surface of its feet gray

 Mindanao

faunal

region Samar and Leyte islands

 Kingdom:

Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Rodentia Family: Sciuridae Genus: Sundasciurus Species: S. steerii

grizzled, reddish chestnut brown upper body parts

Small ears

rather small tail that is more flattened than bushy

 Palawan

faunal

region Lowland forests, coconut groves, and banana plantations Common and stable

 Deforestation Conversion

of forest areas to agricultural

lands Illegal trading and hunting Regarded as pests Minimal impact on populations

 There

are no conservation efforts made for Philippine squirrels because they mostly occur in protected areas However, the main concern is that there is still much to be studied about Philippine squirrels (i.e. behavior and ecology) There is a need for a survey of Philippine squirrels (resource inventory)

 Resource

inventory

Threat

minimization

 Survey

of Philippine squirrels where they are recorded on other important aspects (i.e. behavior and ecology) on data deficient and near threatened species for further steps or actions

Research

Priority

Assessment

Prevention of further population decline Habitat improvement and conservation

Rainforestation Control of logging and conversion of agricultural areas Continuous implementation of protected areas where Phil.

Squirrels occur

Implementation of law to illegal hunting and trading acts

Conservation International. 2008. Biological diversity in the Philippines. Retrieved from http://www.eoearth.org/view/article/150648 Heaney, L.R. 1985. Systematics of Oriental Pygmy Squirrels of the Genera Exilisciurus and Nannosciurus (Mammalia: Sciuridae). Misc. Publ. Mu. Zool. Univ. Michigan, 170:l-58. Retreived from: http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/handle/2027.42/56414/MP170.pdf;jsessionid=63 555795A3324B99460756BAF0EFAD5F?sequence=1 Heaney, L.R. 1993. Biodiversity patterns and conservation of mammals in the Philippines. Asia Life Sciences 2(2): 261-274 Heaney, L.R., Balete, D.S., Dollar, M.L., Alcala, A.C., Dans, A.T.L., Gonzales, P.C., Ingle, N. R., Lepiten, M.V., Oliver, W. L. R., Ong, P. S., Rickart, E.A., Tabaranza Jr., B.R. & Utzurrum, R.C.B. 1998. A synopsis of the Mammalian Fauna of the Philippine Islands. Fieldiana: Zoology 88: 1-61 Hollister, N. 1911. A new Philippine flying squirrel. Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 24:185. Retrieved from: http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/3779520#page/215/mode/1up Iucnredlist.org. Rabor, D.S. 1939. Sciuropterus mindanensis sp. nov., a new species of flying squirrel from Mindanao. Philippine Jour. Sci., 69: p390 Sanborn, C.C. 1952. Philippine zoological expedition 1946-1947. Fieldiana: Zoology Vol 33: Number 2, Chicago Natural History Museum Taylor, E.H. 1934. Philippine land mammals. Monographs of the Bureau of Science. Manila:Bureau of Printing. p. 380 Thomas, O. 1893. Description of a new Sciuropterus from the Philippines Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 6, p30. Retrieved from: http://biodiversitylibrary.org/item/78509#page/44/mode/1up Thomas, O. 1908. The genera and subgenera of the Sciuropterus group, with descriptions of three new species. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 8, 1: p6. Retrieved from: http://biodiversitylibrary.org/item/78381#page/15/mode/1up Thorington Jr., & Ferell, K.E. 2006. Squirrels: the animal answer guide. USA: The John Hopkins University Press. pp. 1-6.

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